Trousers-stretching frame



Dec. 4 1923,,

E. VAN SICKLEN TROUSERS STRETCHING FRAME filed April 5, 1923 v 84 w4m ac 6 v JZJ jam; 7; war! Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

EDWARD VAN SICKLEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TROUSERS-STRETCHING FRAME.

Application filed April 5,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD VAN SIOKLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trousers-Stretching Frames, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to garment formers, and has special reference to a trousers stretcher.

The principal and most important object of the invention is to provide an improved and novel form of trousers stretcher ,so constructed and arranged as to permit of suitable adjustment to conform to the trousers legs, and stretch and crease the trousers without placing undue or excessive stress on any part of their length so that at no place are the trousers strained and stretched out of their proper shape, the creases for the fronts and backs of" the legs being formed by the action of stretcher members which are resilient throughout their trouser engaging lengths.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will now be specifically described, particularly claimed, and one embodiment thereof will be illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein z- Figure l is a side elevation of a trousers leg stretcher constructed in conformity with this invention, one position of the stretcher being shown in full lines, while a second position or adjustment is shown in heavy broken lines, a trousers leg being indicated in connection therewith by light broken lines.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of one of the adjusting devices used herewith, the View being taken from one side of the device. I

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the opposite side of the adjusting device.

' Figure 4; is an enlarged section on the line of Figure 3. Figure 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail edge view of a serrated washer used herewith.

In the embodiment of the invention herein shown, there is provided a trousers engaging member consisting of a single length of wire, spring steel wire being preferably employed for the purpose. This wire is bent Serial No. 630,108.

at its middle portion to provide a spring loop or convolution 10, the bow or bight of the wire being directed downwardly, and the wire crossing itself at the top ofthe bow as shown at 11.

On either side of this loop, the wire is curved downwardly, thus forming spring arches 12 from whence the ends of the wires extend downwardly in a direction inclined toward each other, as shown at 13. The 10W- er terminal ends of these portions of the wire curve abruptly toward each other, as at 14c, and one of these terminal ends is secured, as by brazing or the like, in a tubular roll 15 formed at one edge of a triangular adjusting plate 16. This plate is preferably in the form of an isosceles triangle having an apical angle of ninety degrees, and the roll is formed to extend along one of the equal sides of the plate. The other terminal end is bent to provide a right angled portion 17, which is received in a suitable opening adjacent the apical angle of the plate, being there riveted or otherwise secured in such manner as to have free movement over the plate. I

Concentric with the opening in the plate wherein the ends 17 are located is an arcuate slot 18, the plate being provided with serrations 19 on each side of said slot. Through this slot passes the shank of a J- or hookbolt 20, the hook of which is engaged with the terminal end 14 having pivotal engage ment with the plate. On the shank of this hook is carried a serrated washer 21 over which is screwed a butterfly nut 22, the serrations on the washer coacting with the serrations 19 on the plate. Thus, by adjustment of the hook bolt along the arcuate slotthe angle between the terminal ends 14 may be varied to meet the requirements of the case, in this instance, the size of the bottom of the trousers le Mounted on each of the straight portions 13 is a sleeve 23 preferably made of tin bent into tubular form and securely soldered. Secured in each of these sleeves is one end of a spring wire 24, these wires being bent to approximately the same shape as the ends 14;. At 25 is an adjusting device conforming in all respects to the adjusting plate 16, and its associated parts and one of the wires 24 is fixed to this plate, while the other of said wires is pivoted thereto. These sleeves may either be fixed in position on the portions 13, in which case the portions 1.3 may be sprung in or out at the fixed point of attachment by angular adjustment of the wires 24, or may be slidabiy mounted on said portions 13, in which case any points in the lengths of the parts 123 may be sprung toward or from each other by proper angular adjustment of said wires 2a, the adjusting device being used for the purpose in either case. Thus, by proper manipulation of the adjusting devices the shapes of the portions 13 may be varied at will to conform to the shape oi the trousers leg to be stretched, and such adjustment may be so made as to produce the required stretching of the trousers while not distorting them at any point.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications ot the structure disclosed ma be made without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention so that the breadth of such invention is not to be restricted by the specific embodiment disclosed, but is to be construed as covering all forms within the scope oi" the claims.

I claim:

1. In a trousers stretcher, a pair of resilient crease forming elements, means for connecting the lower ends oi said elements at selected angles, and resilient means con necting said members intermediate their lengths and arranged to adjustably vary the distance yieldably between the points con nected by said means.

In a trousers stretcher, trouser crease torming elements resilient throughout their lengths, the lower ends ot said elements being inclined abruptly toward each other, an adjusting device connecting said ends and arranged to hold them in selected angular relation, and resilient means con necting said elements intermediate their lengths.

3. In a trousers stretcher, trouser crease forming elements resilient throughout their lengths, the lower ends of said elements being inclined abruptly toward each other, an adjusting plate whcreto one of said elements is fixedly attached and to which the other of said elements is pivotally attached, said plate having an arcuate slot concentric with the point of pivotal attachment of the last mentioned element, a clamp bolt engaging the last mentioned element and passing through said slot, and a clamp nut on said bolt.

4. In a trousers stretcher, trouser crease forming elements resilient throughout their lengths, the lower ends of said elements being inclined abruptly toward each other, an adjusting plate whcreto one of said elements is fixedly attached and to which the other of said elements is pivotally attached. said plate having an arcuate slot concentric with the point of pivotal attachment of the last mentioned element, a clamp bolt engaging the last mentioned element and passing through said slot, a clamp nut onsaid bolt, serrations of said plate at the edges of said slot, and a serrated washer on the bolt beneath the nut and having its serrations engaging the serrations ot the plate.

5. In a trousers stretcher, trouser crease forming elements resilient throughout their lengths, the lower ends of said elements being inclined abruptly toward each other, an ad usting plate whcreto one of said elements is fixedly attached and to which the other oi said elements is pivotally attached, said plate having an arcuate s ot concentric with the point of pivotal attachment of the last mentioned element, a clamp bolt engaging the last mentioned element and passing through said slot, a clamp nut on said bolt, resilient means connecting the elements intermediate their lengths, and means to adjust the tension of the last mentioned means.

6. In a trousers stretcher. trouser crease forming elements resilient throughout their lengths, the lower ends of said elements being inclined abruptly toward each other, an adjusting plate whcreto one of said elements is fixedly attached and to which the other of saic elements is pivotally attached, said plate having an arcuate slot concentric with the point of pivotal attachment of the last mentionedelement, a clampbolt engaging the last mentioned element and passing through said slot, a clamp nut on said bolt, resilient means having slidable connection with said elements, and means to adjust the tension of said last mentioned resilient means.

7. In a trousers stretcher, trouser crease forming elements resilient throughout their lengths, the lower ends of said elements being inclined abruptly toward each other, an adjusting plate whcreto one of said elements is fixedly attached and to which the other of said elements is pivotaliy attached, said plate having an arcuate slot concentric with the point of pivotal attachment of the last mentioned element, a clamp bolt engaging the last mentioned element and passing through said slot, a clamp nut on said bolt, serrations on said plate at the edges of said slot, a serrated washer on the bolt beneath the nut and having its serrations engaging the serrations of the plate, resilient means connecting the elements intermediate their lengths, and means to adjust the tension of the last mentioned means.

8. In a trousers stretcher, trouser crease forming elements resilient throughout their lengths, the lower ends of said elements being inclined abruptly toward each other, an adjusting plate whcreto one of said elements is fixedly attached and to which the other of said elements is pivotally attached, said plate having an arcuate slot concentric with the point of pivotal attachment of the last mentioned element, a clamp bolt engaging the last mentioned element and passing through said slot, a clamp nut on said bolt, serrations on said plate at the edges of said slot, a serrated washer on the bolt beneath the nut and having its serrations engaging the serrations of the plate, resilient means having sliclable connection with said elements, and means to adjust the tension of said last resilient means.

9. In a trousers stretcher consisting of a length of spring wire bent intermediate its ends to form a central spring loop and a pair of lateral spring arches, the wire being extended in converging relation from said arc-hes downwardly and having its ends bent inwardly to abruptly converging relation, an angle adjusting device connecting said ends, a pair of sleeves each mounted on one of the downwardly extending portions of said wire, a pair of converging spring wires each having its upper end fixed in a respective sleeve, and an angle adjusting de vice to which the lower ends of said pair of wires are attached.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDYVARD VAN SICKLEN. 

